The NorthSide Blog is a companion blog to STL Rising. The proposed Northside project brings promise and hope to the city of St. Louis, but it also brings very real challenges. This blog is dedicated to the issues, possibilities, and challenges represented by the proposed NorthSide plan

Friday, May 22, 2009

For starters - how do you like the name?

McEagle has named his plans for north city, "NorthSide". What do you think of the name?

At the local level, "NorthSide" is a source of pride. It's a place name attached very specifically to North St. Louis city.

However, at the regional level, the term "north side" does not have universally positive appeal.

For years, North St. Louis has been viewed by many as a heavily segregated, low income, high crime area.

Some people around St. Louis have been heard making statements such as, "I would never go to the north side".

Given the regional scope of the project, what do you think of the name "NorthSide" proposed for this project?

I don't believe any name is intended to be an indelible moniker for huge area, but instead to describe the huge umbrella under which all of this concerted redevelopment would occur. I would sincerely hope that historic neighborhood names would remain intact to describe the very places that would remain as enhanced, instead of replaced.

To Anonymous at 9:22 - I did not hear him say the name was a placeholder, and I was there for the entire presentation.

Can anyone else confirm one way or another?

Regardless, the name is all over the place now - I corrected the style (capital "N", capital "S", two words pushed together) based on reading the coverage in the Post Dispatch.

John W. raises an interesting point...the project name, "NorthSide" would be ascribed to a an area that is borderline equal to or greater than the size of about any existing city neighborhood. The project looks larger than the entire 20th ward.

Since St. Louis is known as a city of neighborhoods, and this project is pretty much a whole new neighborhood, does it make sense to name a new neighborhood "NorthSide", when that name already describes the whole northern half of the city?

The other thing I'm curious about is how the name works at the project's southern edge. The development basically begins at Highway 40 and Market.

Does anyone think of that area as part of the NorthSide? Market Street at 40 becomes gateway to the NorthSide?

I'm actually surprised he's using northside and I'm glad he is. It would be easy to use something that to avoid any negative image associated with the northside. By using northside, it's at least true to its roots. It't not some name that creates visions of countryside and prairie land, so we should be thankful for that! I think northside is appropriate!

The name reflects the character of McKee, deceptive. NorthSide indicates the entire quantrant of the City but the "concept" covers 3 Wards. The NS covers a hugh mass and those of us who live in the out of bounds, N-Side want to know why this 1 man has the exclusive development rights for our Side of Town?

I hope we can use this venue as an organizing tool. there are plans being discussed to show up en masses at the 27th Brd. of Aldermen meeting in opposition to McKee's monster "concept." Will get back w/as actions develop.

Also, we're looking for volunteers to help design a citizen's action webpage.